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[Separate  690,  from  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  Yearbook,  1916.] 


AGRICULTURE  ON  GOVERNMENT  RECLAMATION 

PROJECTS. 

By  C.  S.  Scofield,  Agriculturist  in  Charge,  Western  Irrigation  Agri- 
culture, and  F.  D.  Farrell,  Agriculturist  in  Charge,  Demonstrations 
on  Reclamation  Projects,  Bureau  of  Plant  Industry. 

FARMING  UNDER  IRRIGATION. 


THE  development  of  agriculture  under  irrigation  involves 
conditions  that  are  essentially  different  from  those  of 
ordinary  farming.  In  general,  the  labor  cost  of  crop  pro- 
duction is  somewhat  greater,  the  necessary  investment  of 
capital  is  larger,  and  the  requirements  of  social  organization 
are  more  complex.  These  conditions  require  that  irrigation 
farming  shall  yield  larger  returns  than  ordinary  farming  if 
it  is  to  be  successful.  Of  the  three  conditions  mentioned 
o the  essential  complexity  of  the  social  organization  is  the 
o least  understood  by  those  who  have  to  take  part  in  it. 

The  development  of  an  irrigation  enterprise  necessitates  a 
: " period  of  pioneer  existence.  This  period,  unlike  most  of  the 
pioneering  with  which  many  people  are  familiar,  involves 
community  problems  wThich  must  be  dealt  with  from 
the  very  beginning.  On  Government  reclamation  projects 
these  problems  are  more  conspicuous  than  elsewhere,  chiefly 
4 & because  the  colonists  who  occupy  them  have  come  together 
^ 4,  suddenly  from  widely  different  conditions  of  life  and  usually 
r«d  without  previous  experience  to  guide  them. 

The  underlying  purpose  that  has  influenced  legislative 
^ and  administrative  policies  regarding  Government  reclama- 
^ tion  has  been  to  establish  homes  on  the  land  rather  than  to 
provide  the  most  efficient  means  for  increased  agricultural 
production.  But  successful  home  making  is  dependent 
upon  a reasonable  degree  of  material  prosperity.  Thus,  the 
economic  problems  and  possibilities  of  irrigation  farming 
must  be  understood  and  realized  if  this  great  experiment  in 
the  reclamation  of  arid  lands  is  to  be  made  a success. 


67466—17 1 


P 49*275 


2 Yearbook  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture . 

COURSE  OF  DEVELOPMENT. 

Prior  to  the  recent  rapid  expansion  of  irrigation  develop- 
ment it  was  generally  believed  that  the  reclaimed  lands  could 
be  utilized  profitably  for  the  production  of  such  special 
crops  as  orchard  fruits,  truck  crops,  sugar  beets,  and  alfalfa. 
Recent  experience,  however,  has  demonstrated  that  these 
crops  can  not  be  depended  upon  to  meet  the  requirements  of 
the  situation.  New  projects  do  not  show  immediately  the 
assortment  or  balance  of  industries  that  ultimately  are  to 
become  established.  There  is  instead  a rather  regular  se- 
quence of  development,  beginning  with  the  production  of 
alfalfa  and  small  grains  and  gradually  reaching  a great 
diversity  of  crops  and  industries.  Finally,  out  of  this  diver- 
sity a few  major  industries  become  permanent. 

Almost  invariably  it  is  desirable  to  get  the  land  seeded  to 
alfalfa  as  soon  as  possible,  not  only  because  of  the  useful- 
ness of  the  crop  itself  but  also  because  its  growth  greatly 
increases  the  productivity  of  the  soil.  It  is  a common  prac- 
tice to  seed  wheat,  oats,  or  barley  as  a nurse  crop  for  the 
alfalfa.  Moreover,  many  farmers  plant  small  grains  as  a 
first-year  crop  because  of  the  quick  returns  and  as  a method 
of  preparing  the  new  soils  for  the  production  of  perennial 
crops.  Hence,  on  the  newly  irrigated  lands,  alfalfa  and 
small  grains  occupy  a large  proportion  of  the  cultivated 
acreage.  As  the  soils  begin  to  respond  to  cultivation,  sugar 
beets,  potatoes,  truck  crops,  orchard  fruits,  and,  on  the 
southwestern  projects,  cotton  are  added  to  the  cropping 
system. 

Thus  the  agriculture  of  these  projects  is  gradually  chang- 
ing and  developing  toward  a diversity  which  ultimately  will 
include  a number  of  different  crops,  with  the  chief  emphasis 
placed  on  those  which  under  local  climatic  and  economic 
conditions  prove  to  be  most  profitable.  The  rate  and  direc- 
tion of  this  development  vary,  of  course,  on  the  different 
projects.  If  account  is  taken  of  the  24  Government  reclama- 
tion projects  now  in  operation,  including  at  present  about 
19,000  farms  with  about  800,000  acres  in  production,  the 
areas  devoted  to  the  more  important  crops  are  approximately 
as  follows,  in  terms  of  the  total  irrigated  acreage:  Forage 
(chiefly  alfalfa),  50  per  cent;  cereals  (chiefly  wheat,  oats, 


A griculture  on  Government  Reclamation  Projects.  3 

barley,  and  corn),  25  per  cent;  fruit  crops,  7 per  cent;  pota- 
toes, 3 per  cent;  seeds  (chiefly  clover  and  alfalfa),  sugar 
beets,  and  cotton,  each  2 per  cent ; and  truck  crops,  1 per  cent. 

PROBLEMS  OF  CROP  DISPOSAL. 

The  problems  encountered  in  the  production  of  crops  are 
much  less  difficult  than  the  problems  of  profitable  disposal 
and  utilization.  The  reclamation  projects  are  all  located  in 
the  sparsely  settled  Western  States,  far  removed  from  the 
great  consuming  centers.  Because  of  this  fact  the  supply 
of  crop  products  in  these  areas  exceeds  the  local  demand, 
and  the  problems  of  distant  marketing  must  be  worked  out. 
Transportation  costs  from  the  reclamation  projects  to  the 
great  marketing  centers  are  high.  Furthermore,  as  the  un- 
derlying purpose  of  Government  reclamation  is  to  provide 
homes  for  as  many  families  as  possible,  the  farm  units  on 
the  reclamation  projects  are  small.  This  results  in  a rela- 
tively small  output  per  farm,  and  this  in  turn  necessitates 
cooperation  in  marketing  and  in  some  of  the  enterprises  of 
production.  Groups  of  farmers  must  work  together  to  at- 
tain those  objects  which  the  individual  farmer  is  powerless 
to  accomplish. 

This  does  not  mean  that  cooperation  should  be  regarded  as 
a panacea,  but  rather  that  the  solution  of  certain  specific 
problems  of  production  and  of  marketing  requires  coopera- 
tion. In  view  of  the  fact  that  our  farmers  are  still  rela- 
tively inexperienced  in  matters  of  cooperation,  there  is  need 
for  a clear  understanding  of  the  purposes  to  be  accomplished 
and  for  special  attention  to  the  methods  of  procedure. 

To  secure  the  necessary  efficiency  in  meeting  these  prob- 
lems of  crop  disposal  requires  that  settlers  on  the  reclama- 
tion projects  endeavor  as  early  as  possible  to  develop  definite 
agricultural  industries  for  which  the  local  conditions  are 
favorable.  It  is  the  purpose  of  this  paper  to  discuss  briefly 
a number  of  the  agricultural  industries  that  have  been  or 
may  become  important  on  reclamation  projects.  This  discus- 
sion may  serve  to  show  something  of  the  present  status  of 
agriculture  on  these  projects  and  to  indicate  what  now  ap- 
pears to  be  the  direction  of  progress. 


4 Yearbook  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture. 

THE  SUGAR-BEET  INDUSTRY. 

The  production  of  sugar  beets  has  been  one  of  the  impor- 
tant industries  on  these  irrigated  lands.  Where  the  climatic 
and  soil  conditions  are  favorable  the  crop  has  been  fairly 
profitable,  and  while  the  returns  are  seldom  very  large  they 
are  reasonably  certain.  There  is  no  serious  marketing  prob- 
lem in  this  industry,  because  the  beets  are  grown  under  con- 
tract at  a price  stipulated  in  advance  of  planting.  The  seed, 
and,  if  the  farmer  so  desires,  the  necessary  hand  labor,  are 
provided  by  the  manufacturing  company  which  purchases 
the  beets.  This  company  also  provides  field  men  to  visit 
the  farmer  from  time  to  time  and  advise  with  him  as  to  the 
best  cultural  methods  to  use  in  producing  the  crop.  These 
factors  have  been  influential  in  maintaining  and  extending 
the  irrigated  area  devoted  to  beets,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that 
the  possible  profit  from  beets  appears  to  be  less  than  from 
many  other  crops. 

There  are  some  undesirable  features  in  the  sugar-beet  in- 
dustry. The  production  of  the  crop  requires  much  hand 
labor  during  two  brief  periods  of  the  season — one  in  early 
summer,  when  the  beets  must  be  thinned  and  weeded,  and 
one  in  the  autumn,  when  the  crop  is  harvested.  In  some 
places  where  the  population  is  dense  this  labor  may  be 
locally  available,  but  ordinarily  it  is  necessary  to  import 
labor,  and  the  people  usually  brought  in  and  the  circum- 
stances under  which  they  live  are  such  that  they  constitute 
an  undesirable  social  element.  There  is  also  a tendency  in 
‘the  sugar-beet  industry  toward  the  rental  of  land  for  beet 
production  and  toward  continued  cropping  on  the  same 
land  without  a suitable  crop  rotation.  Such  intensive  spe- 
cialization does  not  make  for  the  best  development  of  an 
agricultural  community.  The  production  of  sugar  beets  is 
possible  only  within  reasonable  distance  of  a sugar  factory. 
These  factories  are  large  and  expensive,  so  that  unless  a 
large  acreage  is  available  for  beet  production  it  is  not  feasi- 
ble to  construct  a plant. 

In  respect  to  certain  social  and  economic  factors,  the  sugar- 
beet  industry  illustrates  the  essential  points  which  need  to 
be  considered  in  the  effective  utilization  of  irrigated  land. 
It  is  first  of  all  a continuing  or  permanent  industry.  It  is 


A griculture  on  Government  Reclamation  Projects.  5 

reasonably  certain  to  yield  a fair  return  on  the  labor  and 
capital  invested  in  production.  The  crop  fits  well  into  a 
rotation  with  alfalfa  and  the  other  common  field  crops.  The 
advisory  assistance  of  the  field  men  employed  by  the  sugar 
company  is  helpful,  particularly  to  the  inexperienced 
farmer.  With  an  assured  market  for  the  crop,  the  farmer 
has  every  incentive  to  devote  his  bests  efforts  to  increasing 
the  efficiency  of  production,  and  the  profits  increase  rapidly 
as  the  yields  exceed  the  minimum  which  covers  the  cost  of 
production. 

In  some  of  the  points  already  enumerated  the  sugar-beet 
industry  is  essentially  different  from  any  other  industry 
followed  on  irrigated  land.  While  some  of  these  practices 
are  possible  only  with  beet  growing,  others  might  be  adapted, 
at  least  in  part,  to  other  industries  with  resulting  advantage. 
While  none  of  the  sugar  factories  in  this  country  is  coopera- 
tive in  the  ordinary  sense  of  that  term,  yet  in  another  sense 
the  cooperation  between  the  manufacturer  and  the  producer 
is  very  close  and  helpful.  The  widely  prevalent  custom  of 
paying  for  the  beets  on  a definitely  adjusted  scale  of  prices, 
so  that  the  beets  which  are  richer  in  sugar  bring  higher 
prices,  is  a stimulus  to  good  farming,  and  the  certainty  of 
market  and  price,  by  eliminating  one  element  of  risk,  also  en- 
courages the  farmer  to  put  forth  his  best  efforts  to  secure 
high  production. 

POTATO  PRODU CTION. 

On  several  of  the  reclamation  projects  the  soil  and  cli- 
matic conditions  are  favorable  for  the  production  of  large 
crops  of  potatoes.  A rotation  in  which  this  crop  follows 
alfalfa  not  only  makes  for  large  yields  of  potatoes,  but  also 
leaves  the  land  in  good  tilth  for  other  crops.  Yet  potato 
production  as  an  industry  has  not  been  important  on  many 
of  the  newer  irrigated  projects.  This  is  due  chiefly  to  the 
uncertainty  of  marketing.  Were  it  possible  to  have  for 
potatoes  a market  that  is  as  definite  and  secure  as  that  for 
sugar  beets,  the  extent  of  the  industry  might  now  be  much 
larger,  even  though  the  prices  were  to  range  below  what  is 
often  received  or  ordinarily  expected. 

Where  potato  production  is  not  well  organized  it  has  been 
the  common  experience  that  in  only  one  year  in  three,  or  at 


6 Yearbook  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture. 

best  one  year  in  two,  is  the  price  such  as  to  return  a profit 
to  the  grower.  Sometimes  there  is  no  market  or  the  prices 
offered  are  so  low  that  the  crop  is  used  for  feed  or  allowed  to 
rot  on  the  farm. 

There  are  several  obvious  possibilities  in  the  direction  of 
improving  the  marketing  situation,  particularly  on  the 
northern  projects.  These  possibilities  may  be  achieved  more 
easily  through  community  cooperation  than  by  individual 
action.  There  are  two  important  demands  for  potatoes. 
The  larger,  of  course,  is  for  food,  but  there  is  also  an  ex- 
tensive market  for  seed  for  planting.  In  order  to  reach 
either  of  these  markets  effectively  it  is  of  first  importance 
that  a community  go  into  the  industry  seriously,  with  the 
purpose  of  continuing  in  it  through  years  of  poor  prices  as 
well  as  through  years  of  good  prices.  When  a certain  region 
becomes  known  to  the  trade  as  a reliable  source  for  potatoes 
it  soon  comes  to  enjoy  an  advantage  that  is  a great  asset. 
Buyers  become  accustomed  to  handling  the  crop  and  will 
take  it  all  up  before  going  into  newTer  regions  to  supply  their 
needs.  The  importance  of  community  action  in  establishing 
the  potato  industry  can  not  be  too  strongly  emphasized. 
Without  it  the  individual  farmer  on  a reclamation  project 
can  scarcely  hope  to  find  a profitable  market. 

The  first  step  to  be  taken  by  a community  is  to  limit  the 
number  of  varieties  of  potatoes  that  are  to  be  grown  and  to 
continue  the  production  of  the  same  varieties  from  year  to 
year.  It  is  better  to  have  only  one  variety,  or  at  most  two 
varieties,  in  a community,  because  it  is  then  possible  to  de- 
velop a discriminatory  market,  to  establish  a reputation, 
and  to  ship  in  large  lots  of  uniform  character.  Community 
action  in  potato  production  also  affords  an  opportunity  for 
the  farmers  to  protect  themselves  against  the  introduction 
of  certain  dangerous  diseases  that  are  carried  with  the  seed. 
It  also  makes  possible  the  development  of  a system  of  cer- 
tification of  the  product  as  being  true  to  variety  and  free 
from  disease  and  thereby  secures  important  market  advan- 
tages. 

SEED  PRODUCTION. 

The  production  of  seed,  particularly  of  forage  crops, 
has  been  developed  on  several  reclamation  projects  and  may 
come  to  have  a place  among  the  important  industries  on 


Agriculture  on  Government  Reclamation  Projects.  7 

these  projects.  As  the  present  time  alfalfa  seed  is  prob- 
ably the  most  important  of  these  crops.  This  country  has 
not  in  recent  years  produced  all  the  alfalfa  seed  needed,  and 
large  importations  have  been  necessary.  Speaking  generally, 
the  imported  seed  is  less  satisfactory  than  domestic  seed,  and 
since  the  outbreak  of  the  European  war  these  importations 
have  been  seriously  interrupted.  Notwithstanding  these, 
facts,  which  contribute  to  the  ruling  high  prices  of  alfalfa 
seed,  and  the  relative  stability  of  the  market  for  that  com- 
modity, serious  difficulties  are  likely  to  be  encountered  in 
selling  the  crop.  Similar  difficulties  are  encountered  in  mar- 
keting the  seeds  of  other  plants.  Seed  crops  are  more  sus- 
ceptible to  environmental  conditions  than  most  other  crops. 
As  a result,  there  are  large  variations  from  year  to  year  in 
the  available  supplies  and,  consequently,  in  market  prices. 
While  these  seeds  are  not  so  quickly  perishable  as  are  pota- 
toes, the  market  demand  and  the  prices  fluctuate  as  widely. 
In  view  of  these  conditions  the  production  of  forage-crop 
seed  should  not  be  undertaken  in  a haphazard  manner.  A 
satisfactory  industry  can  be  developed  only  by  intelligent 
and  persistent  attention  to  the  business. 

While  community  action  may  not  be  quite  as  essential  in 
the  seed  industry  as  in  potato  production,  it  is,  nevertheless, 
highly  advantageous.  By  such  action  it  is  easier  to  develop  re- 
liable outlets  for  the  seed  and  to  establish  a reputation  which 
soon  becomes  an  asset  of 'material  value.  Seed-producing 
associations  of  farmers  are  useful  not  only  as  effective 
selling  agencies,  but  they  may  provide  for  field  inspection 
so  as  to  insure  the  purity  of  the  variety,  and  they  may  in- 
spect, class,  and  certify  the  quality  of  the  seed.  These  func- 
tions are  of  the  utmost  importance  in  meeting  trade  require- 
ments and  result  in  larger  profits  to  the  grower  than  can  be 
expected  where  individuals  act  separately. 

Because  of  the  periodical  fluctuation  of  yield  and  of 
market  prices,  the  seed  industry  is  uncertain  and  likely  to  be 
disappointing  unless  it  is  firmly  established  and  continued 
from  year  to  year.  For  the  same  reason  it  is  inadvisable  to 
devote  a large  proportion  of  the  farm  to  the  production  of 
seed  crops.  The  methods  of  production  are  often  compli- 
cated and  can  be  mastered  only  by  constant  attention  to  the 
business.  The  farmer  who  can  irrigate  his  crops  has  a 


8 Yearbook  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture. 

marked  advantage  in  seed  production  over  the  farmer  who 
can  not,  because  of  the  critical  water  requirements  of  the 
seed  crop.  This  feature,  together  with  the  relatively  favor- 
able climatic  conditions  that  obtain  in  irrigated  districts, 
gives  advantages  which  should  be  made  use  of  by  irrigation 
farmers;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  these  advantages  do  not 
justify  exclusive  specialization  in  the  seed  industry. 

COTTON  PRODUCTION. 

The  production  of  cotton  is  possible  on  only  a few  of  the 
southwestern  reclamation  projects,  and  on  these  it  has  be- 
come important  only  recently.  Interest  in  the  possibility  of 
utilizing  these  irrigated  lands  for  cotton  production  has 
been  stimulated  by  the  decreased  production  in  parts  of  the 
cotton  belt,  following  the  invasion  of  the  boll  weevil. 

While  much  of  the  cotton  so  far  produced  on  the  irrigated 
lands  has  been  of  the  ordinary  short-staple  varieties,  it  has 
become  increasingly  apparent  that  these  must  in  time  give 
place  to  varieties  that  yield  the  more  valuable  long  staple, 
either  of  the  American  Upland  or  of  the  Egyptian  type.  It 
is  economically  unsound  to  devote  high-priced  irrigated 
land,  having  a long  growing  season,  to  the  production  of 
the  cheaper  types  of  cotton  instead  of  the  high-priced  long- 
staple  types,  which  have  been  found  to  yield  equally  well 
and  for  which  there  is  a strong  demand. 

The  production  of  cotton  by  irrigation  enjoys  certain  im- 
portant advantages  which  should  be  understood  clearly  and 
utilized  more  fully.  Irrigation  projects  on  which  cotton 
production  is  possible  are  nearly  all  isolated  from  other 
cotton-producing  regions.  This  isolation  affords  an  oppor- 
tunity to  prevent  the  encroachment  or  invasion  of  certain 
insect  pests,  such  as  the  boll  weevil,  and  also,  because  of  the 
definite  limits  of  the  community,  it  is  easier  to  establish  and 
maintain  an  industry  based  upon  a single  variety  or  type  of 
cotton.  The  advantage  to  a community  of  isolation  as  an 
aid  in  preventing  the  invasion  of  noxious  insects  or  plant 
diseases  is  so  obvious  as  not  to  require  discussion;  but  it  may 
not  be  so  generally  appreciated  that  such  isolation  also 
favors  the  restriction  of  cotton  production  in  a community 
to  a single  variety,  or  at  least  to  a single  type,  and  that  such 
restriction  is  greatly  to  be  desired. 


A griculture  on  Government  Reclamation  Projects.  9 

Where  only  one  kind  of  cotton  is  grown  in  a community 
it  becomes  possible  to  achieve  results  in  production  and  in 
marketing  that  are  quite  out  of  the  question  where  several 
different  varieties  or  types  are  grown.  This  is  more  par- 
ticularly true  with  long-staple  cotton,  where  full  market 
values  can  be  secured  only  by  maintaining  the  uniformity  of 
the  product  from  year  to  year.  In  order  to  maintain  the 
uniformity  of  the  product,  it  is  necessary'  to  make  provision 
for  a continuing  supply  of  seed  for  planting  which  will  re- 
produce the  desired  type  of  fiber  and  be  free  from  the  con- 
tamination which  results  from  the  accidental  mixture  of 
seed  at  the  gin  or  cross-pollination  between  adjacent  fields. 
Where  several  different  kinds  of  cotton  are  grown  in  a com- 
munity such  contamination  is  very  difficult  to  avoid.  Fur- 
thermore, the  conditions  of  cotton  marketing  are  such  that 
buyers  and  manufacturers  are  influenced  in  favor  of  localities 
from  which  they  have  learned  to  expect  certain  kinds  of 
cotton  to  be  produced  regularly.  On  the  other  hand,  they 
are  likely  to  be  apprehensive  if  they  are  offered  several 
different  kinds  of  cotton  from  the  same  region,  for  experience 
has  shown  that  under  such  conditions  intermixture  and  de- 
terioration of  the  better  sorts  are  inevitable,  and  that,  too, 
without  any  compensatory  improvement  in  the  quality  or 
uniformity  of  the  poorer  sorts. 

In  view  of  these  facts  it  should  be  the  aim  of  isolated 
cotton-growing  communities  to  adopt  some  one  variety  of 
cotton  to  the  exclusion  of  all  others  and  then  to  take  such 
steps  as  may  be  necessary  to  maintain  the  purity  of  all  the 
seed  used  for  planting.  With  a constant  supply  of  pure 
planting  seed  it  becomes  a very  simple  matter  to  establish 
market  grades  or  types  of  cotton  that  can  be  reproduced 
from  year  to  year  and  find  prompt  sale  at  a premium  over 
the  mixed  lots  of  the  bulk  of  the  cotton  crop. 

The  cotton  crop  is  one  that  responds  to  favorable  condi- 
tions of  growth  with  increased  production,  and  it  is  possible 
on  rich  irrigated  lands  to  produce  crops  large  enough  and 
valuable  enough  to  find  a place  with  other  industries.  Fur- 
thermore, cotton  fits  in  well  with  a number  of  other  irrigated 
crops.  Cotton,  following  alfalfa,  responds  to  the  stimulus 
afforded  by  the  preceding  crop,  and  the  early  intertillage 
followed  by  the  shading  of  the  mature  growth  aids  in  the 
67466—17 2 


10  Yearbook  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture. 

eradication  of  weeds.  The  soil  is  thus  left  clean  and  in  good 
condition  for  other  crops.  The  cotton  seed  is  also  a com- 
modity of  value  and  the  by-products  of  its  manufacture  are 
important  as  a feed  for  live  stock. 

FRUIT  PRODUCTION. 

The  production  of  orchard  fruits  has  been  one  of  the  most 
conspicuous  features  of  irrigation  farming  in  this  country. 
Some  of  the  oldest  and  many  of  the  best  known  irrigated 
sections  owe  their  fame  and  prosperity  to  one  or  another  of 
the  fruit  industries.  In  many  of  these  sections  the  natural 
conditions  are  so  favorable  to  the  growth  of  the  fruit  that 
these  industries  may  be  expected  to  continue  and  even  to  be 
materially  extended. 

But  not  all  of  the  irrigated  lands  of  the  West  are  suited  to 
fruit  production,  and  there  have  been  serious  disappoint- 
ments in  some  new  regions  which  have  been  exploited  on  the 
basis  of  orchard  fruits.  The  causes  for  these  disappoint- 
ments have  been  too  many  and  too  complicated  to  be  dis- 
cussed here  in  detail.  In  general,  they  have  been  the  high 
capitalization  of  the  land  and  the  difficulties  of  marketing. 
There  have  also  been  some  production  problems,  but  these 
have  been  less  important.  All  these  difficulties,  combined 
with  the  widespread  tendency  of  the  farmers  to  rely  on  fruit 
production  exclusively,  have  caused  serious  economic  depres- 
sions in  several  of  the  more  important  fruit-growing  sections. 

Almost  from  the  first  the  problems  of  fruit  transportation 
and  marketing  have  been  acute.  These  problems  have  been 
dealt  with  largely  through  cooperation  on  the  part  of  the 
growers,  and  sometimes  with  marked  efficiencv.  Some  of 
the  most  conspicuous  instances  of  agricultural  cooperation 
are  to  be  found  in  this  field.  In  fact,  it  is  possible  that  much 
of  the  spirit  of  cooperation  among  irrigation  farmers  is 
due  to  the  example  of  success  in  this  direction  achieved  by 
fruit  growers.  This  cooperation  has  brought  into  use  high 
standards  of  fruit  packing  and  has  stimulated  improved 
methods  of  production. 

There  is  to  be  observed  at  present  on  irrigated  lands  a 
reaction  from  fruit  production  toward  other  industries. 
This  readjustment  is  probably  to  be  regarded  merely  as  a 
phase  of  normal  development.  It  is  to  be  expected  that  fruit 


Agriculture  on  Government  Reclamation  Projects.  1 1 

production  will  continue  to  be  one  of  the  important  features 
of  irrigation  farming,  though  in  many  sections  it  will  proba- 
bly remain  subsidiary  to  other  industries. 

PORK  PRODUCTION. 

One  of  the  first  crops  of  which  there  is  a local  oversupply 
on  the  reclamation  projects  is  alfalfa.  The  acreage  devoted 
to  this  crop,  particularly  during  the  early  stages  of  the  de- 
velopment of  a project,  is  frequently  greater  than  that 
devoted  to  all  other  crops  combined  and  the  yield  is  abun- 
dant. The  cereal  crops  are  also  very  important  in  the  first 
years  of  irrigation  farming.  Under  ordinary  conditions 
neither  alfalfa  hay  nor  grain  will  bear  the  cost  of  transporta- 
tion to  the  market  centers.  It  therefore  becomes  necessary 
to  convert  these  crops  into  some  form  of  live-stock  products 
which  because  of  relatively  high  value  per  unit  of  weight 
will  stand  the  transportation  charges  from  the  projects  to 
places  of  manufacture  or  consumption. 

The  hog  is  one  of  the  most  efficient  of  farm  animals  in 
converting  alfalfa  and  grain  into  a readily  marketable  prod- 
uct. The  returns  secured  by  pasturing  hogs  on  irrigated 
alfalfa,  supplemented  with  a light  ration  of  grain,  are  fre- 
quently three  to  five  times  as  great  as  could  be  obtained  by 
selling  the  alfalfa  as  hay.  If  efficiently  managed,  hogs  can 
be  made  to  pay  from  25  to  50  per  cent  more  for  grain  than 
can  be  secured  by  the  direct  marketing  of  that  crop.  Fur- 
thermore, the  amount  of  capital  required  to  make  a start  in 
the  swine  industry  is  relatively  small  and  the  returns  come 
quickly.  The  swine  population  of  an  irrigated  farm  can  be 
made  to  increase  from  500  to  1,000  per  cent  a year,  and  the 
animals  are  marketable  before  they  are  a year  old.  For  these 
reasons  the  production  of  pork  is  one  of  the  most  promising 
industries  for  an  irrigated  farm.  Much  of  the  best  progress 
made  on  several  of  the  Government  projects  in  recent  years 
is  directly  attributable  to  the  development  of  swine  produc- 
tion. The  abundance  of  cheap  feeds,  the  favorable  climatic 
conditions,  and  the  advantages  of  isolation  in  the  prevention 
and  control  of  diseases  all  tend  to  reduce  the  cost  of  pro- 
ducing pork  on  these  projects. 

The  successful  establishment  of  the  swine  industry  in- 
volves a number  of  factors  to  which  careful  attention  must 


UNIVERSITY  Of 
ILLINOIS  LIBRAAt 


12  Yearbook  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture. 

be  given.  These  include  matters  of  production  and  of 
marketing,  and  some  of  them  are  inseparably  connected. 
Efficient  production  requires  breeding  for  both  quality  and 
quantity,  an  intelligent  understanding  of  the  best  methods 
of  feeding,  adequate  housing  facilities,  and  the  control  of 
diseases  and  pests  affecting  swine.  Profitable  marketing 
requires  high  quality,  uniformity,  an  understanding  of 
market  requirements  as  to  size  and  finish  of  the  animals 
and  as  to  time  of  delivery,  and  adequate  arrangements  for 
shipping  and  selling.  In  securing  the  necessary  efficiency  in 
these  matters  the  individual  farmer  working  alone  is  all  but 
helpless.  Some  form  of  community  action  is  imperative. 

There  is  a great  advantage  in  having  only  one  breed  in  a 
community,  as  this  facilitates  improvements  in  breeding  and 
marketing.  Through  an  association  the  swine  growers  can 
be  mutually  helpful  in  working  out  problems  of  feeding 
and  housing,  as  the  interchange  of  ideas  and  experiences 
tends  to  eliminate  mistakes  and  to  popularize  the  best 
methods.  Much  can  be  done  through  community  arrange- 
ments with  respect  to  the  utilization  of  the  grain  which  is 
now  shipped  out  in  the  fall  by  the  farmers  on  or  near  the 
projects,  while  in  the  following  spring  the  same  kind  of 
grain  is  shipped  in,  to  be  bought  by  swine  growers  at  higher 
prices.  This  practice  is  obviously  wasteful,  and  its  elimina- 
tion could  be  effected  easily  hy  concerted  action. 

The  control  of  contagious  diseases,  particularly  hog 
cholera,  is  impossible  without  community  action.  This  fact 
is  perhaps  more  conspicuous  on  the  irrigated  lands  than 
elsewhere,  because  the  germs  of  the  disease  may  be  carried 
in  irrigation  water  and  thus  spread  throughout  the  entire 
community;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  the  isolation  of  the 
communities  makes  it  comparatively  easy  to  enforce  the 
quarantine  and  sanitary  regulations  necessary  to  prevent 
or  control  the  disease.  In  other  words,  the  conditions  on 
the  projects  while  especially  requiring  community  action 
also  promote  its  effectiveness.  The  experience  of  the  past 
two  years  in  the  control  of  hog  cholera  on  certain  of  the 
reclamation  projects  has  demonstrated  fully  that  through 
community  cooperation  disease  control  is  a purchasable 
service. 

The  size  requirements  of  the  swine  industry  on  these  proj- 
ects should  be  understood  clearly.  Difficulty  is  commonly 


Yearbook  U.  S.  Dept,  or  Agriculture.  1916. 


Plate  I 


Complex  Social  Relations. 


Yearbook  U..  S;  De_pf.  of  Agriculture,  1916. 


Plate  II 


Fig.  I.— Irrigating  Sugar  Beets. 

Beet  production  is  one  of  the  most  dependable  industries  for  irrigated  lands  and  is  unique 
in  that  it  has  no  marketing  problems.  (Photograph  from  the  United  States  Reclama- 
tion Service.) 


Fig.  2.— An  Example  of  Intensive  Specialization  in  Fruit  Farming 
Under  Irrigation. 

A greater  diversification  of  industries  would  be  safer,  though  perhaps  less  spectacular. 
(Photograph  from  the  United  States  Reclamation  Service.) 


Yearbook  U.  S.  Dept,  of  Agriculture,  1916. 


Plate  III. 


Fig.  I.— In  the  First  Years  of  Irrigation  Farming  an  Excess  of 
Alfalfa  Hay  Is  Often  Produced. 

This  crop  may  be  made  more  profitable  if  fed  to  live  stock  than  if  sold  off  the  farm. 


Fig.  2.— A Small  Flock  of  Sheep  can  be  Kept  Cheaply  and  be 
Extremely  Useful  on  an  Irrigated  Farm. 

The  sheep  can  utilize  the  aftermath  on  grain  and  hay  fields  and  keep  down  the  weeds 
along  fence  rows  and  ditch  banks.  (Photograph  from  the  United  States  Reclamation 
Service.) 


Fig.  3.— The  Feeding  of  Steers  from  the  Surrounding  Ranges  is  one 
of  the  Ways  of  Utilizing  the  Alfalfa  Crop  to  Advantage. 

The  West  must  continue  to  produce  increased  quantities  of  meat,  and  irrigation  farming 
should  stimulate  rather  than  hinder  progress  in  this  direction.  (Photograph  from  the 
United  States  Reclamation  Service.) 


A griculture  on  Government  Reclamation  Projects.  1 3 

encountered  in  the  early  stages  of  the  industry’s  development 
in  making  satisfactory  shipping  arrangements.  When  the 
total  output  of  hogs  is  small,  the  railroads  are  unable  to 
give  as  good  service  as  when  the  output  becomes  sufficient  to 
justify  regular  shipping  schedules,  live-stock  trains,  and 
other  conveniences.  Here,  again,  the  importance  of  com- 
munity action  is  obvious.  If  the  community  as  a whole  is 
actively  interested  in  the  establishment  of  the  swine  indus- 
try, satisfactory  shipping  arrangements  can  be  made  much 
more  quickly  than  if  the  industry  is  forced  to  struggle  along 
on  a purely  individual  basis. 

On  the  reclamation  projects,  where  the  farm  unit  is  small, 
few  farmers  produce  hogs  in  carload  lots.  Hence,  the  pro- 
ducer in  marketing  his  output  must  sell  to  a local  buyer  or 
cooperate  with  his  neighbors  in  shipping  to  market.  Of  the 
two,  the  latter  is  decidedly  preferable  and  is  properly  a 
function  of  an  association.  Cooperative  marketing  already 
is  being  done  with  gratifying  results  on  some  of  the  projects. 
But  the  factors  of  successful  cooperative  marketing  extend 
farther  back  than  the  mere  act  of  collective  shipping.  The 
breeding  and  feeding  practices  need  to  be  adjusted  to  the 
requirements  of  efficient  marketing,  so  that  animals  of  the 
desired  size,  finish,  and  number  may  be  ready  at  the  proper 
time.  This,  again,  requires  concerted  action  and  community 
interest. 

In  the  absence  of  real  efficiency  the  swine  growers  are  cer- 
tain to  suffer  discouraging  financial  losses  in  periods  of  low 
prices  for  pork.  Farmers  should  remember  that  productive 
efficiency,  that  is,  low  cost  of  production,  is  as  much  to  be 
desired  as  high  prices  for  the  finished  product.  Fair  prices, 
large  consumption,  and  high  efficiency  are  the'  things  which 
promote  the  best  development.  With  the  proper  considera- 
tion of  these  facts  and  with  special  attention  to  the  com- 
munity phases  of  pork  production  the  farmers  on  the  recla- 
mation projects  should  be  able  to  make  swine  production  one 
of  their  most  profitable  industries. 

DAIRYING. 

It  is  not  improbable  that  dairying  has  done  more  than 
any  other  live-stock  industry  to  support  irrigation  agricul- 
ture in  this  country.  This  has  been  true  not  because  the 


14  Yearbook  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture. 


profits  of  dairy  farming  have  been  large,  but  rather  because 
they  have  been  comparatively  certain.  The  dairy  industry 
has  saved  the  situation  for  hundreds  of  settlers  when  the 
expected  returns  from  more  spectacular  industries  have 
failed  to  materialize.  The  possibilities  of  dairying  have  not 
begun  to  be  realized  or  even  appreciated  by  the  majority  of 
irrigation  farmers. 

One  of  the  chief  favorable  features  of  dairying  is  its  con- 
tinuity. It  employs  labor  throughout  the  year  and  furnishes 
a steady  cash  income.  The  natural  conditions  on  the  recla- 
mation projects  are  favorable  to  high  production  in  dairying. 
All  the  necessary  feeds  can  be  grown  cheaply  and  abun- 
dantly. This  applies  particularly  to  alfalfa  hay,  corn  silage, 
and  irrigated  pastures.  These,  when  properly  combined, 
furnish  practically  all  the  feed  required  by  dairy  cows;  and 
where  concentrated  feeds  are  abundant  and  cheap  they,  too, 
may  be  utilized  profitably.  A further  advantage  is  the  mild 
climate  of  most  of  the  projects,  which  makes  it  unnecessary 
to  provide  expensive  buildings. 

The  dairy  industry  combines  well  with  pork  production, 
the  by-products  of  the  dairy  furnishing  excellent  feed  for 
pigs.  Sugar-beet  production  also  fits  in  admirably  with 
dairying,  both  in  the  employment  of  labor  and  in  the  utili- 
zation of  manure.  Perhaps  no  irrigated  crop  responds  more 
markedly  than  sugar  beets  to  the  application  of  manure. 

As  the  volume  of  the  dairy  products  of  the  country  in- 
creases and  competition  becomes  more  keen,  there  will  be 
need  for  much  higher  dairy  efficiency  on  the  reclamation 
projects.  While  these  areas  have  many  natural  advantages 
over  the  highly  developed  dairy  districts  in  the  Eastern  and 
Central  States,  they  are  at  some  disadvantage  in  marketing 
and,  at  present,  in  the  quality  of  dairy  stock.  Perhaps  the 
greatest  need  of  the  dairy  farmers  on  these  projects  is  better 
cows.  While  the  prices  of  dairy  products  remain  fairly 
high,  the  availability  of  cheap  feeds  makes  it  possible  for 
the  settlers  to  make  some  profit  from  low-producing  cows; 
but  as  production  in  the  irrigated  districts  increases  it  will 
be  necessary  to  cull  out  the  less  profitable  individuals.  As 
the  local  production  expands,  outside  markets  will  have  to 
be  sought,  and  this  will  bring  the  irrigation  farmers  in 
direct  competition  with  the  more  efficient  dairymen  of  the 


Agriculture  on  Government  Reclamation  Projects.  1 5 

older  dairy  regions.  It  is  essential  that  the  farmers  on  the 
reclamation  projects  foresee  this  development  and  prepare 
themselves  for  its  requirements. 

It  is  probable  that  the  variations  in  individual  efficiency 
are  more  marked  in  dairy  cows  than  in  any  other  domestic 
animals.  These  great  variations  are  among  the  most  Con- 
spicuous features  of  the  dairy  industry  on  the  reclamation 
projects.  Furthermore,  the  general  level  of  productive  effi- 
ciency is  low.  The  average  production  per  cow  on  these  new 
irrigated  lands  could  probably  be  increased  50  to  75  per 
cent  through  the  introduction  of  better  stock  and  the  im- 
provement of  present  herds  through  the  use  of  good  bulls 
and  the  general  elimination  of  inferior  cows.  There  is 
need  also  for  improvement  in  methods  of  management. 

Several  of  the  reclamation  projects,  particularly  those  in 
the  Northwest,  are  well  situated  for  the  production  of 
cheese.  The  abundance  of  cold  water,  the  cool  summer 
climate,  and  the  thickly  settled  neighborhoods  are  conditions 
which  favor  cheese  making.  The  cheese  industry  within  the 
past  two  years  has  experienced  marked  development  on 
several  of  the  northern  projects,  and  there  are  indications 
of  still  further  expansion. 

The  need  for  community  action  is  perhaps  even  greater  in 
the  development  of  dairying  than  it  is  in  pork  production 
on  these  projects.  Cooperation  is  needed  in  securing  im- 
proved stock,  in  the  local  transportation  of  milk  and  cream, 
and  often  in  manufacturing  as  well  as  in  marketing;  in 
fact,  these  functions  can  not  be  worked  out  satisfactorily 
without  cooperation.  The  small  farms,  the  newness  of  con- 
ditions, and  the  distances  to  market  all  result  in  a need  for 
community  interest.  Necessity  is  developing  a strong  appre- 
ciation of  these  facts  and  the  cooperative  spirit  on  the  re- 
clamation projects  is  growing  rapidly,  among  dairy  farmers 
particularly. 

THE  SHEEP  INDUSTRY. 

The  production  of  sheep  has  not  been  an  important  feature 
of  irrigation  farming.  Feed  crops  grown  on  irrigated  lands 
have  been  used  extensively  in  finishing  stock  produced  on 
the  range  and  in  wintering  range  ewes,  but  the  breeding  of 


16  Yearbook  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture . 

sheep  and  year-long  feeding  on  irrigated  lands  has  not  been 
extensive. 

It  is  to  be  expected  that  finishing  range  sheep  and  winter- 
ing ewes  will  continue  to  be  important  on  these  lands,  but 
the  practice  is  not  without  its  disadvantages.  One  draw- 
back is  the  uncertainty  of  the  market  for  the  finished  prod- 
uct. This,  together  with  the  high  prices  usually  demanded 
for  the  feeder  stock,  makes  winter  feeding  rather  hazardous. 
Under  favorable  conditions,  however,  the  farmer  who  feeds 
range  sheep  secures  not  only  a direct  profit  from  his  feeding 
operations,  but  also  a large  quantity  of  manure,  through  the 
use  of  which  his  crop  yields  may  be  markedly  increased. 

The  conditions  on  several  of  the  reclamation  projects  are 
specially  favorable  for  the  production  of  sheep  on  the  farms. 
Sheep  not  only  furnish  a profitable  method  of  disposing  of 
some  of  the  leading  crop  products,  but  they  are  particular^ 
useful  in  utilizing  certain  crop  by-products  and  in  eradi- 
cating weeds.  The  material  left  in  the  grain  fields,  beet  tops, 
the  aftermath  in  hay  fields,  and  the  plant  growth  in  fence 
rows  and  on  ditch  banks  can  be  utilized  profitably  by  sheep. 
A promising  practice  for  many  of  the  irrigated  farms  is  to 
graze  sheep  on  irrigated  pastures.  A pasture  which  will 
carry  2 cows  to  the  acre  will  support  6 to  10  ewes  and  their 
lambs  until  the  lambs  are  ready  for  market  and  still  produce 
sufficient  feed  to  carry  the  ewes  through  the  season.  By  these 
means  the  irrigation  farmer  on  many  of  the  projects  can 
keep  from  20  to  100  breeding  ewes  with  profit,  the  number 
depending  on  the  size  of  his  land  holdings  and  the  grouping 
of  industries  on  his  farm.  Ordinarily  there  is  much  to  be 
gained  by  developing  pure-bred  flocks  as  soon  as  practicable. 

On  certain  of  the  projects  which  are  adjacent  to  satisfac- 
tory grazing  lands  on  the  open  range  or  in  the  National 
Forests  a limited  number  of  irrigation  farmers  can  engage 
in  sheep  production  on  a larger  scale.  Small  groups  of 
farmers,  each  owning  a few  hundred  sheep,  can  sometimes 
arrange  to  use  the  range  cooperatively  and  to  winter  their 
flocks  on  individual  farms.  In  this  way  the  flocks  may  be 
carried  through  the  summer  at  relatively  low  cost  and  be 
used  profitably  in  the  autumn  and  winter  to  consume  forage 
and  grain  crops  and  by-products  on  the  farm. 


Agriculture  on  Government  Reclamation  Projects.  17 

The  problems  of  marketing  the  wool  and  mutton  pro- 
* duced  by  the  flocks,  particularly  the  small  ones,  can  be 

, solved  best  by  cooperation  among  the  farmers.  The  same  is 

v true  of  many  of  the  problems  of  efficient  management. 

-7  Such  things  as  breeding,  shearing,  and  dipping  offer  many 

opportunities  for  advantageous  cooperation.  Frequently 
much  can  be  gained  by  cooperation  between  the  small  sheep 
growers  and  the  large  range  sheep  producers.  The  latter 
sometimes  will  contract  for  years  in  advance  to  purchase 
from  the  former  all  the  pure-bred  ram  lambs  produced  on 
the  small  farms.  Thus,  a profitable  market  for  half  the  off- 
spring of  the  small  flocks  may  be  assured  in  advance,  to  the 
benefit  of  everybody  concerned. 

If  good  use  is  made  of  the  opportunities  for  cooperation, 
both  among  the  small  farmers  and  between  them  and  the 
extensive  range  sheepmen,  there  are  but  few  projects  where 
sheep  production  can  not  be  made  a lucrative  part  of  the 
activities  of  the  irrigated  farm.  Already  there  are  some  suc- 
cessful sheep-growing  enterprises  on  the  projects,  but  the 
full  possibilities  can  not  be  realized  until  community  atten- 
tion is  focused  upon  the  industry. 

BEEF  PRODUCTION. 

Like  the  sheep  industry,  beef  production  on  the  irrigated 
lands  has  been  confined  to  the  winter  feeding  and  finishing 
of  range  stock.  Aside  from  this,  the  development  of  an 
extensive  beef -cattle  industry  on  the  reclamation  projects 
depends  primarily  on  the  availability  of  cheap  summer 
range.  Doubtless  there  will  be  some  instances  of  specialized 
beef  production,  based  largely  on  the  breeding  of  high-class 
pure-bred  stock,  in  which  the  animals  will  be  kept  on  the 
farms  throughout  the  year.  Except  in  such  instances  it  is 
unlikely  that  the  year-long  feeding  of  beef  cattle  on  these 
small  farms  will  be  found  as  profitable  as  the  feeding  of 
dairy  cattle,  hogs,  and  sheep. 

Some  of  the  projects  are  located  near  grazing  areas  which 
are  not  fully  stocked  or  on  which  readjustments  can  be  made 
which  will  provide  range  for  stock  owned  by  irrigation 
farmers.  Where  the  grazing  of  these  areas  is  properly 


v 


18  Yearbook  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture. 

controlled  and  efficiently  managed,  as  in  the  National  Forests, 
or  where  arrangements  can  be  made  to  assure  undisturbed 
occupation  and  use,  there  are  opportunities  for  beef  pro- 
duction. The  proper  utilization  of  such  grazing  areas  would 
add  materially  to  the  crop-disposal  possibilities  of  the  adja- 
cent irrigated  lands. 

Because  of  the  small  size  of  the  beef  herds  which  can  be 
fed  on  these  farms,  successful  summer  grazing  on  the  ad- 
jacent range  lands  requires  some  kind  of  cooperation.  This 
may  consist  simply  of  hiring  a herder  who,  for  a fixed  charge 
per  head,  will  handle  the  stock  during  the  grazing  season ; or 
more  formal  grazing  associations  may  be  organized.  These 
associations  are  growing  in  number  and  efficiency  on  several 
of  the  projects  and  it  seems  likely  that  they  will  continue  to 
increase.  The  activities  of  the  grazing  associations  may  in- 
clude the  hiring  of  a salaried  herder ; the  furnishing  of  salt ; 
systematic  efforts  to  prevent  the  loss  of  stock  from  diseases, 
poisonous  plants,  and  predatory  animals;  the  furnishing  of 
well-bred  bulls;  negotiations  with  the  Forest  Service  and 
other  agencies  regarding  the  allotment  and  management  of 
grazing  areas;  and  provision  for  live-stock  insurance.  It  is 
through  increased  cooperation,  particularly  in  range  utiliza- 
tion, that  the  beef  industry  on  these  projects  is  likely  to 
reach  its  best  development. 

THE  GROUPING  OF  INDUSTRIES. 

In  the  preceding  discussion  of  the  different  agricultural 
industries  which  rank  as  important  on  reclamation  projects, 
only  incidental  reference  has  been  made  to  their  relations 
to  each  other  either  on  the  individual  farm  or  in  the  com- 
munity. These  relations  are  matters  of  the  greatest  impor- 
tance. There  are  very  few  situations  where  a farm  or  a 
community  survives,  still  less  achieves  success  and  pros- 
perity, through  the  exclusive  development  of  a single  in- 
dustry. The  requirements  of  crop  rotation,  the  efficient  use 
of  labor,  and  the  insurance  of  some  source  of  income  are 
the  potent  factors  that  make  a diversification  of  industries 
imperative. 

The  number  of  industries  which  it  is  possible  to  carry  on 
in  any  irrigated  region  is  much  larger  than  the  number  it  is 


Agriculture  on  Government  Reclamation  Projects.  19 

usually  desirable  to  have.  This  enables  the  farmer  to  select 
from  among  the  available  industries  a few  which  suit  his 
fancy  and  appeal  to  his  judgment. 

Much  of  the  possibility  of  success  in  farming  depends 
upon  the  proper  selection  and  grouping  of  major  industries. 
This  is  a problem  that  usually  can  not  be  settled  in  advance 
of  practical  experience.  It  is  not  enough  to  decide  merely  to 
have  a diversity  of  industries.  Each  should  be  considered 
not  only  as  to  its  own  possibilities  under  the  natural  con- 
ditions, but  also  in  relation  to  the  others  with  which  it  is  to 
be  associated.  If  possible,  the  selection  should  be  such  that 
each  will  be  profitable  in  itself,  but  it  is  sometimes  worth 
while  to  carry  on  one  industry  which  yields  little  or  no  direct 
profit  because  of  its  indirect  benefit  to  others  in  the  group. 

In  new  regions  far  from  market  the  farmer  should  also  be 
influenced  in  his  selection  of  industries  by  the  opinions  or 
desires  of  his  neighbors.  It  has  been  repeatedly  pointed  out 
that  community  cooperation  is  often  essential  to  success  in 
these  irrigated  districts,  and  such  cooperation  often  may  be 
extended  to  the  selection  of  the  kinds  of  crops  or  the  kinds  of 
live  stock  that  ought  to  be  used. 

The  important  point  that  needs  to  be  kept  in  mind  is  that 
the  problem  of  the  proper  selection  of  industries  merits 
serious  consideration.  A' farmer  should  not  embark  upon  an 
industry  merely  because  it  is  momentarily  attractive  or  be- 
cause someone  else  has  succeeded  with  it.  He  should  canvass 
the  whole  situation  thoroughly  and  test  each  industry  from 
the  following  points  of  view : 

(1)  Is  it  adapted  to  local  conditions  of  climate  and  soil 
and  to  the  location  of  the  project  with  respect  to  transporta- 
tion and  marketing  ? 

(2)  Can  it  be  fitted  in  with  the  others  that  are  being  con- 
sidered, so  as  to  permit  the  effective  distribution  of  labor 
throughout  the  year? 

(3)  Does  it  fit  in  with  the  others  to  occupy  the  available 
land  and  either  benefit  them  or  utilize  to  advantage  their 
effects  ? 

(4)  Is  it  one  that  may  be  accepted  generally  in  the  com- 
munity and  thus  permit  such  cooperation  as  is  needful  for 
success  ? 


20  Yearbook  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture . 

(5)  Are  the  products  subject  to  violent  market  fluctuations 
resulting  from  sudden  scarcity  or  oversupply,  so  that'  special 
persistence  is  necessary  to  secure  stabilization  ? 

A careful  consideration  of  these  questions  may  determine 
the  measure  of  success  which  will  follow  the  farmer’s  selec- 
tion of  industries. 

IMPORTANCE  OF  STABILIZING  INDUSTRIES. 

The  proper  establishment  of  any  of  these  agricultural  in- 
dustries under  the  multiplicity  of  new  and  strange  condi- 
tions may  require  years  of  time.  The  new  settlers  can  not 
reasonably  expect  to  develop  in  one  or  two  years  an  efficiency 
or  a reputation  which  will  enable  them  to  compete  success- 
fully with  older  communities.  A period  of  pioneering  is 
inevitable  and  readjustments  are  to  be  expected;  but  such 
readjustments  should  come  about  gradually  and  should  be 
in  the  direction  of  constructive  development. 

Substantial  prosperity  requires  that  some  of  the  industries 
in  which  the  settlers  engage  be  stabilized ; that  plans  for  their 
establishment  be  projected  years  in  advance,  just  as  the  bona 
fide  settler  projects  the  plans  for  the  establishment  of  his 
home.  Periods  of  depression  or  adversity  must  be  endured, 
and  ideals  of  efficiency  must  be  pursued  constantly.  Fre- 
quent and  radical  changes  from  one  industry  to  another, 
stimulated  among  speculative  settlers  by  market  fluctuations, 
lead  to  inefficiency  and  failure.  On  the  other  hand,  intelli- 
gent conservative  practices,  vigorously  and  constantly  prose- 
cuted, develop  high  industrial  efficiency  and  thus  promote 
general  prosperity  in  these  communities. 

The  agricultural  commodities  produced  on  reclamation 
projects  must  be  shipped  to  distant  markets.  In  order  to 
sell  to  best  advantage,  these  products  must  be  well  known  in 
the  market  and  come  to  be  depended  upon  by  the  consuming 
public  or  the  manufacturer.  Much  of  the  efficiency  of  mar- 
keting depends  upon  the  establishment  and  maintenance  of 
recognized  grades  or  standards  of  the  product.  Such  stand- 
ards can  be  established  and  their  recognition  secured  only 
by  continued  effort.  These  facts  have  an  important  bearing 
and  should  be  considered  seriously  in  connection  with  any 
proposal  to  establish  a new  industry  on  a reclamation  project. 


A griculture  on  Government  Reclamation  Projects.  2 1 

THE  PLACE  OF  IRRIGATION  FARMING  IN  WESTERN 
AGRICULTURE. 

An  unfortunate  tendency  that  has  been  noticeable  in 
the  development  of  irrigation  farming  in  the  West  has 
been  to  disregard  its  economic  relation  to  the  other  agri- 
cultural enterprises  of  that  region.  The  vast  areas  of  land 
which  surround  the  irrigated  sections  have  long  been  im- 
portant to  the  country  as  a whole  because  of  their  production 
of  breadstuffs  and  meat.  While  the  areas  available  for  the 
production  of  wheat  by  dry  farming  and  the  range  lands 
used  for  the  support  of  live  stock  have  been  almost  com- 
pletely occupied  by  these  industries,  greatly  increased  pro- 
duction in  both  lines  is  still  possible.  These  arid  lands  are 
certain  to  become  increasingly  important  in  meeting  the  re- 
quirements of  the  national  food  supply.  Their  possibilities 
have  been  by  no  means  realized. 

Grain  production  by  dry  farming  and  live-stock  produc- 
tion on  the  ranges  are  subject  to  severe  vicissitudes  because 
of  the  periodical  fluctuations  in  climatic  conditions.  The 
setbacks  resulting  from  adverse  seasons  often  cripple  the 
farmers  and  stockmen  to  such  an  extent  that  they  can  not 
take  advantage  of  the  more  favorable  seasons  that  follow. 
The  proper  development  of  irrigation  farming  may  be  ex- 
pected to  aid  in  surmounting  such  difficulties,  to  the  benefit 
of  all  concerned. 

The  irrigated  lands  that  enjoy  conditions  favoring  the 
high  production  of  forage  crops  may  properly  become  im- 
portant as  centers  of  stock  feeding,  not  only  in  finishing 
stock  but  in  wintering  range  stock  and  in  carrying  the  ani- 
mals through  protracted  periods  of  drought.  Such  enter- 
prises not  only  furnish  an  economical  means  of  utilizing  the 
crops  of  the  irrigated  land,  but  also  provide  an  outlet  for 
some  of  the  grain  from  adjacent  dry  farms. 

The  irrigation  farmer  who  is  confronted  with  the  problem 
of  marketing  his  crop  products  would  do  well  to  consider  the 
possibilities  that  lie  at  hand  in  the  way  of  cooperating  with 
his  neighbors  on  the  dry  farms  and  on  the  ranges.  They, 
like  himself,  are  subject  to  serious  economic  stresses.  Some 
of  these  may  be  relieved  through  a better  understanding  of 
the  situation  and  by  making  gradually  such  readjustments 
as  are  possible. 


22  Yearbook  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture. - 

Irrigation  farming  has  been  the  subject  of  extravagant 
exploitation,  as  well  as  the  cause  of  severe  disappointments.  «r 

As  a matter  of  fact,  it  ought  to  be  regarded  merely  as  one  of 
the  ways  of  making  a home  and  a living  and  not  primarily 
as  a means  of  making  money.  Irrigated  lands  may  be  v 

expected  to  support  prosperous  communities  wherever  in- 
dustry and  intelligence  are  devoted  to  the  work.  In  some 
respects  irrigation  farming  is  probably  less  hazardous  than 
some  other  agricultural  enterprises,  but  success  can  be  as- 
sured only  by  diligent  and  persistent  endeavor. 


WASHINGTON  : GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE  : 3917 


V 


